The co-founder of Superette on finding her voice, striving for something different, and the waste of cannabis packaging.   AS TOLD TO ELIZA BROOKE  

Starting Superette could not be further from my upbringing.   I grew up in a very conservative family. Very tightly regulated, very strict. A lot of rules. I didn’t learn how to ride a bike until three years ago. My conservative parents didn’t let me ride one growing up. I was basically allowed to play piano and go to school and that was it.   Entrepreneurship was definitely not in my blood. But from university onwards, I really strived to be the opposite of how I was brought up.   Before university, I didn’t travel. My family does not explore much. I ended up going to Carleton University for international business, not because I wanted to be in business but because there was a one-year exchange program. I saw that as an opportunity to travel. I wasn’t really taking my education seriously when I first started, and I just thought, Hey, I can get out of the country because of school. I used that as an excuse.   I ended up spending a year based in Shanghai, and exploring all around China, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia. I got my scuba diving license in Thailand. I probably spent a month cumulatively in Indonesia. I also joined a cover band in Shanghai. I played keyboard—I grew up playing piano. We had two singers: One from Kazakhstan, and the other from the US. The guitarist was from Indonesia, the bassist was from Thailand, and the drummer was from Russia—a very international group. It was so much fun.     I gained a lot of confidence in myself through travel. People who have known me since high school or elementary school will tell you that the person I became after my year in Southeast Asia compared to the person I was prior to that—completely different.   I used to be very quiet. I didn’t have many friends. I didn’t talk to many people. I had a really thick shell, and I wasn’t really willing to open up. If I was with a group of people and someone was like, “Where do you want to go for dinner?” I would never speak up. I would never say what I wanted. But during my time in Asia, I started looking at things differently. I told myself: This is temporary. If I end up pissing someone off, I’m not going to see them again, so I’m just going to focus on what I want to do.   I learned how to take initiative. I learned how to voice my opinion. I learned how to even just recognize what it was that I wanted. I’d fallen into the habit of thinking that whatever someone else wanted was always more important. But since then, I have been a lot better at being like, nope, this is better for me, or nope, this is what I want, or this is how I actually feel about the situation. I think that’s really important when you’re working with a team or you’re building relationships that will last a lifetime.   I did venture capital for eight months after school and then moved on to do investment banking for two years. That’s when I started following the legal cannabis space, with Trudeau coming into office and really pushing cannabis forward from a regulatory standpoint across the country.   It wasn’t an industry that I had considered previously. I didn’t know too much about it, outside of personal consumption. But I thought it was something different and undefined. That’s what gets me excited: Things that are not set in stone yet, that are still very fluid. That’s when we can be creative.   When I was looking at the cannabis space back in 2016, early 2017, most companies were focused on becoming cultivators for medical purposes. I thought that was cool, but it didn’t really speak to me. I ended up meeting a company called Tokyo Smoke. They were solely focused on building a brand, and building a connection with potential customers through adjacent industries prior to legalization. I jumped on board there and helped with their corporate strategy and strategic growth. That’s where I met my co-founder, Drummond Munro.       After Tokyo Smoke was acquired, Drummond and I were both presented with great positions within the new entity. We saw it as another job. A great job, but just another job. We thought, why not take this opportunity to bet on ourselves? So we left and started Superette.   At that point, there were a lot of cannabis retail concepts that focused on being luxurious and tech-forward, that really inclined towards that premium feeling. And then there were a lot of legacy head shop-types that were geared toward experienced consumers. We wanted to create something that was a little bit more fun, a little bit more accessible, and that could bring back a human connection.   I’ll paint the picture: You’re walking outside. It’s Wellington Street West in Ottawa. And then you see Superette. It’s a white corner placement. Really, really bright. You walk in and someone’s there to greet you at the door with a smile on their face. They ask to check for your ID to make sure you’re of age and on you go. You enter a large space that’s very akin to your local corner store and there’s a menu that has a list of the current product offerings in store, plus shelves, counters, and deli spaces all showcasing cannabis, cannabis accessories, and also educational pieces.   There’s a lot going on, but it’s very organized. Cannabis can be very confusing for people—they don’t know where to begin. But we try to set up the store so that whether you’re a new user or an experienced user, you can find the section that works for you. You can talk to someone if you want to, or you can not if you don’t want to. You can also just sit down and chill.     Our goal is to make sure you are empowered as a potential customer. There’s no forcing you to buy any products. We just want you to have a good time in the store. That’s the main goal. I want you to come away from our store feeling good.   When I was working in venture capital, day in, day out, I was interacting with entrepreneurs who were doing things in undefined markets and growing really quickly and just going for it. I think that’s what planted the seed for Superette. Wherever I go, I’m always asking, how can we make things better? How can we continue to improve? And what can we change to push the envelope? I realized it was really difficult to do that in traditional industries where there are set standards and expectations.   The voices for social justice in cannabis are much stronger in the U.S., perhaps because the impact has historically been larger. But there are certain groups in Canada that are working hard to push policy forward—groups like Cannabis Amnesty. There’s a general awareness that this space has to grow collaboratively and can’t shut the door on people who made the industry what it was. I think a focus on inclusion and the recognition of legacy participants is extremely important.     Last year, we focused on launching a large corporate social responsibility campaign for 2020. We’d been dedicating community service hours to groups across Ontario, like Ottawa Food Bank and Daily Bread, but then we started thinking: how can we make this a little bit bigger?   One thing people don’t realize is how extremely wasteful cannabis packaging is. Tweed, a cannabis brand, and TerraCycle, a waste management company in Canada, recently committed to taking cannabis packaging from retailers, cleaning it, melting it down to pellets, and reusing it. We wanted to hit two birds with one stone, so we launched a commitment to match every package returned to the store for recycling with a food can donation to the Ottawa Food Bank. We do a minimum commitment of 5,000 units a month. It’s a call to action for people to be a little more aware of what they should be doing after they’re done with the product. At the same time, it provides really meaningful benefits to Ottawa.   My parents are supportive of Superette in the sense that they’ve seen the press and recognition that we’ve received. But I don’t necessarily think they are supportive of the industry I’m in. I think for them, along with a lot of people in that generation, there still is an element of education that needs to take place—to say, “Hey, this is legal and this can be a safe product for you.” There are definitely many people in this world who are more supportive of me than they are, unfortunately.   I face imposter syndrome all the time. I spent most of my career behind a computer screen, but now I’m very front-facing. There’s this persona that I have to put on. I have to be positive and act like everything is good. But I do get frustrated. I do get stressed out. But I try to look at things from a different lens: This is a new experience. This is flexing me in new directions and giving me a skill set that I didn’t have before. Let’s just explore that. Using that as a framework, I’ve been able to learn so much.

Cannabis may be known as the 'green industry,' but its reputation is not an exceptionally eco-friendly one.   JESSICA MCKEIL   The industry has a bad rap for its inability to rein in excessive energy consumption, water needs, and waste issues all along the production cycle.   When legal cannabis rolls out in a state or a country, legislators are first and foremost concerned about public health and safety, not environmental impact. The regulatory process focuses almost entirely on protecting the public, not the environment. But as the market matures, the problematic production methods of the industry become all too apparent.   Today, consumers are driving the move towards organic farming practices and the reduction of wasteful packaging. The industry itself is also moving towards better energy and water consumption, driven mainly by the need for more cost-effective cultivation methods. Although the transition is a slow one, there are many companies in the industry pushing a green agenda and building impressive environmental initiatives in cannabis. Their stories are worth highlighting.  

ENERGY REDUCTION IN CANNABIS CULTIVATION

  Both indoor and greenhouse-grown cannabis are notorious for their excessive energy consumption. Cannabis is a plant with particular environmental requirements, which translate into expensive lighting, temperature, and humidity controls. According to estimates by Oregon-based Southwest Energy Efficiency Program, indoor operations use ten times more energy per square foot than a typical office building. Energy costs for growers can make up over 50 percent of the operating budget.   As the price per pound bottoms out in places like California and Oregon, cultivators are desperate to cut costs to improve the bottom line. In many cases, this means moving away from HPS lighting towards more energy-efficient and cost-effective LED options. Other, more forward-thinking growers are taking energy efficiency one step further, like the case of Bonsai Cultivation in Colorado.   Bonsai has swapped out conventional air conditioning for recirculating water chillers, which has led to a 30 percent drop in energy consumption. The company also reassessed its light-to-plant ratio and were able to reduce their monthly power bill by another 40 percent by eliminating the need for nearly 400 lights in their 28,000-square-foot grow room.  

ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM OF WATER CONSUMPTION

  Cannabis is a thirsty species. It's an industry that tends to drain local water resources during both the cultivation and extraction phases of production. California growers may be the most noteworthy in this regard, but they are far from the only cultivators putting a significant strain on water tables. Water is an ongoing dilemma for the industry. There are already a few noteworthy companies addressing the issue of water consumption in cannabis.   Green Relief is one example. Cannabis Tech has previously covered them in more detail, but their innovative approach to water conservation is worth revisiting. Green Relief is a fully aquaponic facility located in Ontario, Canada, which recycles water within a closed-loop system. The system design is so efficient, they have reused the same water for over two years. The company has almost entirely eliminated the issue of wastewater, thanks to their aquaponics farming practices.   Another company, ecofarm, announced in a press release in December 2019 their intention to operate a Tier 11 Marijuana Cultivation and Product Manufacturing facility in Massachusetts. Applying industry best practices and smart technologies, the facility will "chart a course toward a new standard of cannabis production, focusing on product quality while committing to limit its impact on the environment." Their plans include a large-scale water recapture system, which will contribute to a predicted 70 percent energy efficiency over comparable cultivation facilities.  

WASTE REDUCTION ACROSS THE INDUSTRY

  Waste is an area where all levels of the cannabis industry need to improve. From seed to sale, the industry is rife with unrecycled plastics, uncomposted soils, and plant materials headed into the landfill. Cannabis waste, in most jurisdictions, can be just as regulated as the salable cannabis product. Such high regulatory requirements make innovation more challenging.   At the retailer level, the problem of single-use plastics and multi-material packaging has created a massive garbage problem. Especially in Canada, which has rolled out strict controls around the composition of cannabis packaging (aroma proof, waterproof, and childproof, among others), the packaging issue is an annoyance for customers and producers alike.   In Canada, Terracycle has launched a cannabis packaging recycling program, seeking to stave off the stream of waste headed from consumers to municipal landfills. Customers can sign up and begin collecting on their own, or petition their retailer to collect in store. As Terracycle explains, "This program accepts any and all cannabis packaging purchased from a licensed retailer, including outer plastic packaging, inner plastic packaging, tins, joint tubes, plastic bottles, plastic caps, and flexible plastic bags."   On the cultivation and extraction side of the industry, waste disposal doesn't get much easier. Typically, waste from cannabis cultivation and extraction is treated similarly to hazardous materials. Companies must destroy or compromise the waste beyond recognition, and sometimes send it to special handling facilities.   Micron Waste, located in Vancouver, Canada, has developed "the world's first compliant cannabis waste management system that denatures Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) in the waste streams." The Cannavore shreds, digests, and decontaminates the leftover organic waste from cultivation. The device, which is located on-site, relies on microbial digesters and water treatment processes to turn organic waste materials into potable water. Furthermore, the water is clean enough; it may be recycled back into the growing operation.  

CANNABIS CAN BECOME A SUSTAINABLE INDUSTRY IF YOU KNOW WHERE TO LOOK

  The vast majority of companies operating in the burgeoning industry only consider their bottom line when it comes to business practices. But, the growing costs of energy, water, and waste disposal have a significant impact on economic feasibility. When the price-per-pound is at an all-time low, any savings in production means a competitive edge.   Reducing power bills and implementing water recycling technologies undeniably create a competitive advantage. Moreover, consumers are increasingly choosing companies with eco-friendly, organic products with high environmental standards. As the cannabis industry matures, it will inevitably begin to reassess its wasteful ways. Soon, the bottom line and the customer base will demand it.  

Three weeks following the first anniversary of legalization on November 8, 2019, the top cannabis people, brands, organizations and products of 2019 were recognized at the sixth annual Canadian Cannabis Awards (CCA).   Presented by Lift & Co., a total of 32 awards were announced in both consumers’ choice and judged categories at a black-tie gala at the Fairmont Royal York in downtown Toronto, hosted by Big Brother Canada winner and cannabis ambassador Sarah Hanlon.   “The CCAs are the gold-standard for excellence in the industry, and provide award-winners a vital point of differentiation for their investors, partners and consumers going into the next highly competitive, highly regulated, year in Canadian cannabis,” said Matei Olaru, CEO of Lift & Co. “I’m proud of the trusted platform Lift & Co. provides to elevate and help celebrate Canadian cannabis brands that are building the future of cannabis in Canada—the CCAs are one way we underscore our commitment to providing leading information to the industry each year.”   As the first CCAs edition to recognize a full year of legal recreational cannabis sales, consumers chose the top cannabis flower and oil products of the year with a record-setting 31,000+ votes. Consumers voted between August 23 and October 25 by sharing a product review and/or purchase receipt on Lift.co.   Select top products of the year included:  

• Rossignol by Organigram for Top High THC Bottled Oil,
• Argyle Softgels by Tweed for Top Cannabis Capsules,
• Jean Guy by Good Supply for Top Sativa Dominant Preroll,
• Tangerine Dream by San Rafael ’71 for Top Sativa Flower and,
• Ruxton (Sour OG) by Broken Coast Cannabis for Top Hybrid Flower.

  The top people, organizations and brands were determined by expert judging panels following a nationwide nomination process that took place between August 23 and September 20.   Highlights of winners in the industry-insider-judged categories include:  

• Retailer Superette, which took home awards in the inaugural Top Retail Store—Single Location and Top Budtender categories, as well as Startup of the Year and Co-founder and CEO Mimi Lam named as this year’s Womxn in Weed—Trailblazer,
• Solei Renew CBN Oil won for Innovation of the Year for their proprietary THC-to-CBN conversion technique that helped launch the first CBN oil on the Canadian market,
• Tweed x TerraCycle won the Top Non-Profit/Charity/Community Initiative for the development of the first national recycling program in the Canadian cannabis industry, and
• 7ACRES resonated with the judging panel with their #RespectThePlant campaign to secure the Brand of the Year award. This is the second year in a row The Supreme Cannabis Company won this award.

  These are the brands, people and products to watch in 2020.   As the industry gathered to celebrate 2019 and look ahead to another year of growth and maturation, Employer of the Year winner TREC Brands—a Toronto cannabis brand house with a commitment to donate 10% of their profits to the community—launched the 10% for Good initiative at the CCAs and called on the industry in attendance to join them to build a positive legacy by focusing on the broader community. Attendees at the event, and now the public, can give to a choice of four Canadian charities as part of the campaign—Dress for Success Toronto, HXOUSE, Evergreen, and Cannabis Amnesty. Donations are open here until the end of the year.  

  SARCAN currently doesn’t recycle used plastic containers obtained from licenced recreational cannabis stores in Saskatchewan. When cannabis was legalized, many consumers weren’t expecting to cope with more excessive plastic waste, especially after the hubbub over plastic bags and bottles filling landfills and water bodies. But in the era of post-legalization, plastic bottles, boxes and cartons have replaced baggies for cannabis purchases.   The plastic containers for cannabis are designed to manage this new government-controlled product. Manufacturers don’t have to follow specified regulations in regards to the materials they use for the containers, but they have to follow specific guidelines set by Health Canada and the Federal Cannabis Act. The containers must be opaque or semi-transparent. Also, cannabis containers in Canada must be unappealing to children and youth, be able to guard against contamination and the boxes should keep the products fresh.   Across Canada, most of the provinces and territories haven’t yet addressed the issue of recycling cannabis containers. In Ontario, packaging for cannabis can be recycled in curbside recycling programs, or at the province’s recycling depots. The polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) containers are recyclable at all depots in Ontario. But containers manufactured from low-density polyethylene are only accepted at certain facilities. Meanwhile, containers made from polypropylene aren’t taken for recycling at the majority of Ontario’s sites. Since cannabis products come in a variety of packaging, including sealed envelopes, plastic jars, tubes and boxes, consumers in Ontario are asked to check the bottoms of their containers for the appropriate codes before recycling.   In the rest of Canada, there are options whenever local recycling programs aren’t available in either the province or the community. Canopy Growth Corporation have arranged a container recycling program through Tweed – the manufacturer’s retail brand. The recycling program is administered by the New Jersey-based company, TerraCycle.   TerraCycle will accept containers from all licenced producers in Canada. The containers must originate from licenced producers – the packages themselves don’t have to be derived from companies affiliated with Canopy Growth. Individual consumers can even post their used containers to TerraCycle for recycling. TerraCycle and their subcontractors will take the containers, clean them, then melt the boxes into plastic pellets, allowing them to be refashioned and manufactured into different products, such as park benches.   Currently, some cannabis retail outfits in Saskatchewan and elsewhere in Canada have recycling boxes for TerraCycle in their stores, where used cannabis containers can be dropped off after they’re cleaned. Unlike deposit bottles and cans, used cannabis containers cannot be redeemed for cash at this time.

Legal pot can do a lot of things — entertain, excite, destress — but it’s not often that you get to do some good for someone else, someone who really needs help, just by smoking up. Superette, the startup Westboro dispensary that has been raking in the praise (and awards) within the cannabis world, is setting out to change that by teaming up with the Ottawa Food Bank to turn recycled packaging into donated food. “Starting in December, and throughout 2020, we will be matching every unit of cannabis packaging that is recycled and brought back to the store with a unit of non-perishable food,” the store’s founder, Mimi Lam, announced to a group of supporters, neighbours and media on Friday morning. The store is initially committing to at least 5,000 items of food per month, and aiming for 60,000 by this time next year. That’s just a minimum, though — if more people recycle their pot packaging, more food gets donated. It will, admittedly, mean that the cannabis users of Ottawa — or at least Superette’s customers — need to up their game in the recycling department. Most people don’t know that cannabis packaging is, generally speaking, recyclable — the catch is that you can’t just throw it in with the cans and bottles and old newspapers, since the cannabis residue inside, however slight, renders it trash in the eyes of regulators. All recycling is done by TerraCycle, a private recycling company who teamed up with Tweed, in Smiths Falls, to develop a cannabis recycling program after a cacophony of complaints about excessive packaging at legalization’s outset. Right now, Superette gets “a couple hundred packages” returned every week. “We’re hoping that the people who aren’t currently recycling will jump on this initiative,” Cressida Firth, the store’s manager, told OttawaMatters. “We have everybody on the floor pushing it.” "It's like the feel-good version of bringing your empties back to the beer store," said one customer, Jane, in passing.

As news of the closures of two cannabis dispensaries rolled through Squamish on Nov. 5, so too did rumours about the only licensed store in town. Linley Mussett, the general manager of Sky High Cannabis Ltd., spoke with The Chiefto clear up misconceptions they've been hearing about edibles, packaging and prices. While edibles are not sold in the form of food at Sky High, Musset said there are other edible products that can be used in the same way, to similar effect. Among their products are oils, sprays, and capsules. (They hope to be adding gummies and cookies before the end of December, based on producers.) "I think they're so used to the convenience," Mussett said of edibles versus oils. "They're so easy, they're tasty. They're used to that small price—$10 to $12 seems really easy at the time. Paying $30 to $40 for a much longer period of time is going to benefit them in the long run, for sure." She said that typically with edibles, it takes so long to feel the effects that people tend to eat more than they need. "It's a lot easier to end up eating too much," she said. Taking too much is likely why the government has been reluctant to greenlight edibles in licensed stores, Mussett said. The dose can be difficult to gauge, which is why Sky High is looking into offering DIY edible cooking classes. They currently sell edible-making kits in store. "We really want to encourage people to start making their own, because there are people who are making edibles already who maybe don't know what they're doing," she said. She thinks the next issue people will soon be talking about is the regulated dose in licensed edible products, which is anticipated to be set at 10mg per pack. Another concern Mussett has heard is about the packaging their product now comes in. While Sky High has a petition in store that calls for producers to reduce the packaging, in the meantime the company asks that customers bring back packaging to be recycled. Sky High works with Tweed and TerraCycle, a cannabis packaging recycling program that recycles packaging from all licensed producers and is in contact with the government. "If people are just recycling at home, the government's not really going to tell what's happening with it," Mussett said. "This way, they can see every week how much we're sending back. We actually really hope people will start doing a little bit more… probably half the people actually bring it back. Bring back the box, any bag, any tube — all of them." As for pricing, Mussett said, like any store, Sky High sets its prices after buying from the BC Liquor Distribution Branch and, contrary to popular belief, many products have stayed at the same price. "Some are more expensive, but everything that we offered before, we do have the same prices — some of the things are actually cheaper," she said. "The options are there, you just have to pick and choose what's best for you." Sky High became the first (and so far, only) provincially licensed cannabis dispensary in Squamish in September. It is owned and operated by Mussett's family, who have lived in the Sea to Sky for decades (Pemberton, Whistler and, as of 2018, Squamish). To be provincially approved, the company had to abide by the regulations (listed at cannabis.gov.bc.ca). Mussett describes the process as very thorough. "My mom used to work for ReMAX for 12 years," Mussett said. "She is a paperwork master." Mussett said every detail had to be just right before the company could get its inspection. All told, the process took around 13 months. "When we got our licence, we were number 63, and now they're at 160-something." As of Nov. 18, 164 applications of the 539 submitted have been approved, according to provincial government stats. Sky High will be hosting a Seniors' Cannabis 101 at the Squamish Manor on Dec. 6 and a general Cannabis 101 (19+) at the Squamish Public Library on Jan. 23. Find more information at www.skyhighcannabis.ca. Her biggest piece of advice is to contact Health Canada or the prime minister with concerns and questions. "If you are passionate about anything, speak up. Let them know—they're the ones who can affect the change and hear you," Mussett said. "We'd be happy to advocate on behalf of anyone."

“Our host is so big that she won Big Brother Canada,” said Matei Olaru, CEO of Toronto-based tech company Lift & Co, as he introduced host Sarah Hanlon to a room full of “best buds” at Toronto’s Fairmont Royal York on Friday night.   It was also a very big night — the 6th Annual Canadian Cannabis Awards, an annual event that this year was estimated to bring together nearly 900 cannabis industry leaders. The glittering award night was dedicated to the movers and shakers of the Canadian industry. Recognizing top people, products and companies, the award ceremony was hosted by Sarah Hanlon, winner of Big Brother Canada 3, and The GrowthOp (TGO) contributor. “The awards a year before were hosted by Rick Campanelli, of ET Canada fame, so I clearly have some big shoes to fill,” she wrote in TGO’s Pot Culture column late in October. Kevin Anderson from Broken Coast Cannabis Ltd. was awarded the Top Master Grower award, who in his acceptance speech had only one thing to say: “Thank you, everyone, that loves weed.”   The top cannabis flower and oil products were chosen with a record-setting over 31,000 votes by consumers, Lift&Co. confirmed in a press statement. Select top products of the year included:  

• Top High THC Bottle Oil: Rossignol by Organigram;
• Top Capsule: Argyle Softgels by Tweed;
• Top Sativa Preroll: Jean Guy by Good Supply;
• Top Sativa Flower: Tangerine Dream by San Rafael ’71;
• Top Hybrid Flower: Ruxton (Sour OG) by Broken Coast Cannabis.

  “And that was it, we did,” said Hanlon as all the winners were announced, and in some cases displayed on the screen.   As the celebration came to a close, attendees were encouraged to give to a choice of four Canadian charities as part of the campaign, Trec With Purpose, to Dress for Success Toronto, HXOUSE, Evergreen, and Cannabis Amnesty. Donations are open here until the end of the year.

On November 8, 2019, Lift & Co. hosted their sixth annual awards to honour Canada’s top licensed producers, their products and their people.   “The Cannabis Council of Canada is proud to represent Canada’s licensed producers with a mission to promote high industry and product standards. Our members are among the most innovative companies in Canada, using state-of-the-art technology and research to develop the best products for Canadian consumers. We are proud to see many of our members receiving recognition at Lift & Co.’s sixth annual awards gala in Toronto.” said Megan McCrae, Chair of the Board.   The following Cannabis Council of Canada Members were recognized in the following categories:

• Top High-CBD Bottled Oil, CBD 25:1 Oil by Aphria
• Top Balanced Oil, Midnight Oil by Medreleaf
• Top High-THC Bottled Oil, Rossignol by Organigram
• Top Sativa-Dominant Pre-Roll by Good Supply (Aphria)
• Top Cannabis Spray, Sativa Oral Mist by Aurora Cannabis
• Top Cannabis Capsules, Argyle Softgels by Tweed (Canopy Growth Corp.)
• Top Hybrid Flower, Ruxton (Sour OG) by Broken Coast Cannabis (Aphria)
• Top Master Grower, Kevin Anderson, head grower at Broken Coast Cannabis (Aphria)
• Top Non-Profit/Charity/Community Initiative won by Tweed (Canopy Growth Corp.) x TerraCycle for their cannabis packaging recycling program
• Top Indica Flower, Pink Kush by San Rafael ’71 (Aurora)
• Top Sativa Flower, Tangerine Dream by San Rafael ’71 (Aurora)
• Brand of the Year won by 7ACRES (Supreme Cannabis Company)
• Innovation of the Year, Renew CBN Oil by Solei (Aphria)

  The Canadian Cannabis Awards (CCAs) are an annual event that recognizes excellence and innovation in Canada’s cannabis industry. The recipients of product awards are determined by Lift & Co. product reviews and public nominations or an industry judging panel.   The full list of recipients from the sixth Canadian Cannabis Awards can be found here.  

It has now been more than a year since cannabis has been legal in Canada, and the cannabis business has seen its ups and downs. One Exchange Traded Fund, Horizons Marijuana Life Sciences ETF, is down 50 per cent since the end of March.   In spite of market fluctuations, Canadian licensed cannabis producers are expected to sell approximately $1.1 billion worth of legal pot in the first full year of legalization, according to an analysis of retail sales data by Cannabis Benchmarks.   Competing with black market cannabis is still the number one challenge for legal providers, both on cost and packaging.   One area that consumers aren't very happy with is all the packaging that surrounds even small quantities of legal pot. Unlike the black market, where a single-use plastic baggie is still typical, most government-approved packaging is often multi-layered and all plastic.   Cannabis packaging is the purview of the federal government, and local dispensaries, including B.C. government operations, have no say.   Castanet reached out to the B.C. Ministry of the Attorney General for comment on excessive cannabis packaging and was told rules regarding the packaging of cannabis products are established by the federal government.   "We want to minimize waste from cannabis packaging and encourage both consumers and retailers to recycle packaging... Cannabis regulations allow retailers to set up in-store cannabis packaging recycling programs, and we encourage them to do so," the ministry said.   Customers can also recycle cannabis packaging at home using the blue bin residential recycling program.   The global packaging market for cannabis products is expected to reach $25 billion by 2025, according to a report from Zion Market Research.   For now, Health Canada requirements call for cannabis packaging to be large enough to display labelling information, including warnings. It also has to be child-resistant, prevent contamination and keep the product dry.   B.C. retailers, including Hobo Cannabis Dispensary in Kelowna, say it's the number one complaint they receive from customers. "A little too much, absolutely," says manager Cole McCrea. "It's definitely the most frequent complaint that we hear – the size and scale of all the packaging being used as being unnecessary."   As the legal cannabis market matures, presumably there will be adjustments and greener packaging options down the road. For now, Tweed has partnered with Terracycle to launch Canada's first and largest cannabis packaging recycling program.   "When Tweed launched the partnership with TerraCycle, it was the first recycling program of its kind for cannabis packaging. Reaching this incredible milestone of over 1,000,000 pieces collected in less than one year demonstrates the value of the program," says Mark Zekulin, CEO, Canopy Growth Corporation, Tweed's parent company.   "Anybody can bring in any cannabis container to any (participating) store, we take it in here and ship out weekly."   The TerraCycle recycling program transforms the plastic pot containers into plastic pellets.